Marquette engineering professor receives research award
Dr. Robert Scheidt, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Marquette University, has received the university’s 2009 Way Klingler Faculty Fellowship Award in the sciences. His award provides $50,000 annually over three years to advance his research and scholarship.
Scheidt is researching sensorimotor learning — the process by which the brain learns to control limb posture and movement, such as reaching and interacting with dynamic objects. “Think about the challenge of bringing a spoonful of peas to your mouth without spilling,” said Scheidt, “where the goal is to stabilize the spoon as you move it toward its goal.”
Scheidt and his team use functional brain imaging techniques and a novel robotic tool developed at Marquette to better understand how impaired sensory processing in the nervous system limits one’s ability to perform activities of daily living. Their findings may be able to be applied to both stroke victims and autistic children. “Because interacting with objects is fundamentally important to maintain a high quality of life, we need to optimize technologies and therapies for motor rehabilitation in patients with a neural injury or neurodevelopmental disorders,” said Scheidt.
“The Way Klingler awards enable us to recognize and support the research efforts of our faculty, William Wiener, vice provost for research and dean of the Graduate School at Marquette, said. “Research in the sciences, like the work of Dr. Scheidt, has the potential to dramatically improve the quality of life for individuals.”
Scheidt graduated from Marquette in 1989 with a degree in electrical engineering. He earned his master’s and Ph.D. degrees in biomedical engineering from Northwestern University.
Scheidt is the second biomedical engineering faculty member to receive the Way Klingler Faculty Fellowship Award in the sciences. Dr. Brian Schmit, associate professor, received the award last year.
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